#randomwriter57

It wasn’t because his parents were neglectful, oh no – they tried every year to do even something small for Haruka’s birthday, but the fact of the matter was that they were having financial difficulties. The entire reason they left without Haruka was because they couldn’t afford to look after him in Tokyo (their food and water bills would surely skyrocket, and schooling and swimming club memberships were much more expensive in the capital) and because the house in Iwatobi had already been paid off – they only needed to pay the bills for the essentials (which is frankly all they could afford to pay).

It wasn’t like his birthday was ignored during what Haruka called his Middle School Depression either. All of the Tachibanas, close friends of the Nanases for all of Haruka’s life, would give him small gifts each year (even though he told them countless times he didn’t need anything), and even whilst they were in their training camp last year, his friends pitched in to make him a cake of sand, using fireworks as candles. His birthday was never ignored – he just didn’t think it was a very important occasion.

This year, his parents couldn’t visit until mid-July, so it was certain he’d be spending the day with his friends. He was already suspicious at 9am, when Makoto called round to his house.

“It’s a surprise,” Makoto had said when Haruka asked where they were going.

They ended up at the aquarium, which was probably one of Haruka’s best birthday gifts, since he got to feed a dolphin. They stayed until noon, when they started to get hungry and Makoto’s phone began to buzz constantly (“Sorry Haru! I should really have turned it off…”).

When they reached Haruka’s house, he wasn’t sure what to expect. His front door was open (“I’m sure I locked that when I left…” he thought) but no one was to be seen.

Then he went into the living room.

“Happy birthday, Haru!” his friends shouted in unison (with the addition of ‘–chan’ or ‘-ka-senpai’ in certain cases).

Balloons and streamers covered his living room, party snacks and cakes strewn over his table. His friends stood around the table, grinning at him. Even Rin and Kou were there.

Haruka couldn’t even bring himself to be annoyed by the mess he’d have to clean up later. The initial surprise and overwhelm turned into the warm feeling he often got from his friends’ presence.

He may not have shown it, but he was happy.

Haruka’s birthdays were usually small, quiet affairs.

He couldn’t say he disliked this change. Not at all.